Jun
29

Zen of Glenn at Oaktown Jazz Workshops

Glenn Horiuchi was a musician, zen practitioner, mathematician, and community activist who made music to celebrate his Japanese American heritage and to bring attention to important social causes including the redress and reparations movement in support of wrongfully incarcerated Japanese Americans during the Second World War. His music drew from the rich history of the African American experimental avant-garde, having been mentored by or collaborated with bassist M’Chaka Uba, trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith, trombonist and composer George E Lewis, and saxophonist Joseph Jarman–all members of the Chicago-based Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). This project features Francis Wong’s arrangements of Horiuchi’s music. Wong was a long time collaborator of Horiuchi, and alongside bassist Chris Trinidad, formed this ensemble to give new life to Horiuchi’s music.

Francis Wong, tenor saxophone
Chris Trinidad, bass
Erika Oba, flute/piano
Helen Palma, voice
Carrie Jahde, drums

$20 suggested donation at door
More info here

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Jul
27

ATOM Ensemble at Oaktown Jazz Workshops

ATOM Ensemble formed in 2025 during a residency at Wyldflowr Arts in Oakland. Drawn together by their shared interest in exploring diaspora through music, the band integrates their multifaceted musical and cultural heritages to create new cultural pathways.

Roopa Mahadevan, vocals
Erika Oba, piano/flute
Chris Trinidad, bass
Kevin Amos, drums

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May
30

Matt Small's Crushing Spiral Ensemble at Mr. Tipple's

Matt Small brings The Crushing Spiral Ensemble back to Mr. Tipples, for an exciting evening of cutting-edge new music featuring some of the Bay Area’s most innovative musicians.  Small is an award-winning bassist/composer/producer/founder, and has been composing for and leading The Crushing Spiral Ensemble as one of his main projects in the SF Bay Area for over 25 years.

Matt Small  | Bass/compositions
Steve Adams | Tenor
Cory Wright | Alto
Chris Grady  |Trumpet
Erika Oba | Piano
Jon Arkin | Drums

Tickets: 6:00pm / 7:45pm

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Mar
21
to Mar 22

Oba Mahadevan Collective at Wyldflowr Arts

Oba-Mahadevan Collective
Wyldflowr Arts | 809 37th St, Oakland, CA
Presale tickets available here

Friday, March 21, 7pm doors/7:30pm start
Saturday, March 22, 7pm doors/7:30pm start

I've been working with vocalist Roopa Mahadevan for several years now in different projects, and I couldn't be more excited to be coleading this band with her. Roopa is a virtuoso vocalist trained in Carnatic music who has also done a lot of jazz and improv, and we connected over our mutual interest in exploring diaspora through music. We'll be joined by Chris Trinidad on bass and Kevin Amos on drums for an exciting set weaving together Indian music, Japanese folk music, jazz, and more!

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Mar
8

Zen of Glenn Album Release show at Bird and Beckett

Saturday, March 8, 7:30pm
653 Chenery Street, San Francisca

Francis Wong leads this group in tribute to the late, great Glenn Horiuchi. It's been a truly inspiring and educational experience to immerse myself in Glenn's body of work. Alongside Francis, are band members Chris Trinidad (bass), Carrie Jahde (drums), Helen Palma (vocals), and myself (flute, piano, melodica). We're excited to share our new album with the world! 

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Mar
1

Nora Free Liberation Quartet at the Backroom

Saturday, March 1, 8pm
1984 Bonita Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704

Tickets available here

Nora Free is a jazz saxophonist, composer, educator, and experimental improvisor based in Oakland, California. Her music explores the intersection of improvisation, spell-casting, and spiritual ritual. Her latest project, Liberation Quartet, is a musical love letter, a statement of sonic intentions to aid in the struggle of all beings toward equity and justice. This performance will feature original compositions, and new arrangements of pieces by Geri Allen, Joni Mitchell, and Mary Lou Williams.

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Feb
15
to Feb 16

World Premiere - Meguru: Dreams of Harvest with the Fresno Philharmonic

The Fresno Philharmonic presents the world premiere of a new work - Meguru: Dreams of Harvest - by California composers Hitomi Oba and Erika Oba inspired by the life and writings of Fresno author and organic peach farmer David “Mas” Masumoto. This performance is the culmination of a two-year project called Cultural Crossroads: Kisetsu (“Seasons” in Japanese). Pianist Barry Douglas returns to the Fresno Philharmonic for Rachmaninoff’s beloved Piano Concerto No. 2.  The concert concludes with Shostakovich’s light-hearted Symphony No. 9.

Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 16, 2025 | 3:00 pm

Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall
2770 E International Ave, Fresno, CA 93730

Tickets available here

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Sep
19

The Zen of Glenn @ Wyldflowr Arts

I'll be joining Chris Trinidad, Francis Wong, and Carrie Jahde for a concert with The Zen of Glenn: The Glenn Horiuchi Legacy Ensemble. It's been a joy and a great education to be a part of this ensemble. We will be playing tribute to the late, great Glenn Horiuchi through his music, poetry, and stories. 

Tickets available here


809 37th Street
Oakland, CA 94706

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Sep
15

Nippon Kobo - world premire!

Nippon Kobo is "A collaborative showcase by leading artists, creators and entrepreneurs of Japan, for an immersive experience in contemporary Japanese music and culture." Haruka Fujii (percussionist from the Grammy Award winning Silkroad Ensemble) is the Creative Director of the festival. I was honored when Haruka commissioned me to write a new piece for this festival. The new work will be premiered at the festival by Haruka on marimba, Kyle Bruckmann on oboe, Leslie Tagorda on clarinet, and Jamael Smith on bassoon.

Sun, Sept 15 at Fort Mason
Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, Gallery 308
2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123
4:00pm-6:30pm

General Admission: $50, including 3 4oz samples from COEDO Beer
VIP Admission (Reserved Seating): $85, including 3 4oz samples from COEDO Beer, priority entrance

Info and Tickets available here

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Sep
15

Erika Oba Trio @ Calliope Performing Arts

My piano trio (with Chris Bastian on bass, and Jeremy Steinkoler on drums) will be performing selections from our newly released album Ghosts on the Water, as well as some new material that we've been working on.

Sun, Sept 15 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church
1501 Washington Avenue, Albany, CA 94706
2:00pm-4:00pm

$15 youth, $25 Senior/Student, $30 general admission

Info and Tickets available here

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Aug
8

Rootstock Arts @ Wyldflowr

I'll be performing on flute and piano alongside Scott Oshiro (flute/electronics), Transcriptions01 (cello/electronics), and special guest Hitomi Oba (tenor saxophone). Scott, Transcriptions01 and I formed as an ensemble through the Asian Improv Arts Fellowship program, and we are excited to share our sonic explorations in this series curated by Rootstock Arts at Wyldflowr Arts. Hitomi and I don't get to perform together very often, so I hope you can join us for this rare opportunity!

Tickets available here


809 37th Street
Oakland, CA 94706

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May
25

Sleight Ensemble: TRANSIT FUTURES

Sleight Ensemble presents TRANSIT FUTURES, a multimedia exploration of Bay Area’s past, present, and future transit infrastructure. Composer-performers Jacob Lane (piano), Stephanie Neumann (saxphones), and Erika Oba (flute) composed new music in collaboration with video-artist Alan Holsinger. This project was made possible with generous support from the City of Berkeley’s Civic Grant program.

Where:
Fellowship Hall at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists
1606 Bonita Avenue, Berkeley CA 94709

When:
Saturday, May 25, 2024
7pm

Admission: Donations accepted at the door

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Apr
17

Erika Oba Trio at Salesforce Park

Erika Oba (piano), Curtis Aikens (bass), and Jeremy Steinkoler (drums) play for the Rooftop Jazz Series at Salesforce Park Main Plaza on Wednesday, April 17th from 11:30am to 1:30pm. Enjoy the midday jazz at this free outdoor concert series curated by Jazz in the Neighborhood, presented by TJPA and Biederman Redevelopment Ventures.

Date: April 17, 2024 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Location: 100-132 Fremont St, San Francisco, CA 94105

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Nov
12

SIMM Series - Heikki Koskinen Quintet

SIMM Series - Heikki 'Mike' Koskinen Quintet - 78 Years

Sunday, November 12, 2023
7:00 PM Doors, 7:30 PM Show
Musicians Union Local
116 9th St, San Francisco, CA 94103-2603
Tickets $20 General, $15 Senior/Student @ the Door
ADVANCE Tickets Available @ Humanitix

Donald Robinson - drums
Safa Shokrai - double bass
Erika Oba - piano/flute
Rent Romus - saxophones
Heikki Koskinen - e-trumpet, tenor recorder

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